Pain In Grass Ends On A High Note, But Droge & Sinners Disappoint

-------------- Concert review --------------

Pete Droge & the Sinners, Man Ray and Slow Gas Heater in a Pain in the Grass concert Friday at Seattle Center.

A high, sustained, screaming guitar blast was a fitting end to this year's series of free Pain in the Grass concerts, Friday evening at Seattle Center.

Pete Stroud of the Sinners held his guitar high in the air as he made the final note squeal an extra-long time.

The Pain in the Grass series has become a coveted gig for Seattle bands, because the shows always attract large, appreciative crowds. Teens flock to the shows, which are held in the early evening at the Horiuchi Mural, because they can catch bands that usually play nightclubs.

The tattooed and pierced skateboard set is always well represented, as well as a cross-section of other rock fans. And, of course, there are those people who just happen to be at Seattle Center that night and can't help but hear the amplified music.

This year's weekly series, which started June 12, had some notable shows, especially Candlebox, which played in late July just as its comeback hit, "It's Alright," was nearing the top of the mainstream rock charts. That show drew probably the biggest crowd.

Other bands that played to big crowds included Modest Mouse, Supersuckers, the Fastbacks and Gas Huffer.

Pete Droge & the Sinners should have been a highlight of the 11-show series, but instead played a dispirited set that never caught fire. Perhaps the band was tired, or maybe it was not used to playing before dark.

The usually engaging, funny Droge was subdued, although he was generous in his praise of the concert series and the crowd (at least those who stayed and listened).

Stroud provided a lot of excitement with his fine, varied guitar solos, but his efforts weren't enough to save the set, or satisfy the rock-hungry crowd (which tried to slam-dance and crowd surf, although the music wasn't fast enough or the crowd big enough).

Droge had a hit single with the droll, darkly humorous but somehow cheery "If You Don't Love Me, I'll Kill Myself," from the "Dumb and Dumber" soundtrack, and also collaborated with Dave Stewart, of Eurythmics, on the title song for the film "Beautiful Girls." Both were included in the set, but in limp versions that didn't capture the zip of the recordings.

The crowd obviously wanted rockers but Droge gave them slower songs, like the gently rocking "Spacey & Shakin," the easy-rolling "Northern Bound Train" and the new single, a ballad, "Eyes on the Ceiling."